The moon-coloured figure moves without too much speed. Winter is approaching, moreso in Hyaline than anywhere else, true, but not that much different from the hills attached to them - if of course, Lepis had not chosen to take the most open path that could be found.

Ilma herself, she takes the routes that may not be the straightest line, but then again, she's not the one in a hurry. When she reaches Lepis on the border and the mare starts to out her cynical lines, the white woman snorts but otherwise just lets her rant. Lepis' smile is not genuine, in fact, there's a huge mountain that Lepis brought with her here today, as well - containing her ego. And Ilma's not smiling at all, simply keeping a neutral face.

The white mare shrugs, and looks at Lepis a while before speaking. Perhaps her full-term steal was a cover, at least, the way she told it now, but it could also be her way of making herself sound less bad than the rest now that it had turned on her. "On the outside, they are the same, Lepis. I'd thought you of all horses would understand that in diplomacy, image is everything." She outs it in a mildly lecturing tone, because, that's what you do with children who don't seem to understand exactly what they are doing, but you don't want to scold them for it either.

She nods to the path she's just taken. "Let's get you settled first, it seems that you need a break from the winds from taking the shortcut. We'll sort out further terms later if you want."

Truth is, she just wants Lepis to see what kind of an impact a full-year steal would have been on Hyaline, on Ilma. And how it felt to be confronted with it. What better way than to take the woman of similar position from her own lands? And sure, if like she implies, she wasn't meaning it to be that long, then she should have said so in the first place. To be honest, with the way this woman was "bargaining", and honestly not doing the greatest job at it in Ilma's opinion, it should not surprise her that maybe she wanted something in return for Ilma's freedom - but the tables were simply turned, now.

And Lepis did not have to pout about it being so.

The mare assesses the unmoving girl with a look, having trouble not to roll her eyes or sigh at her and stay in a neutral stance. There's only a few words she will out now, and if Lepis still refuses, then she can just keep standing there. She's the stolen one now - she'll have to comply by staying within their borders and, if she refuses to be reasonable, then there will be no negotiation today and her return home is simply stalled. But it's her retort about Hyaline that she addresses first and foremost. Lepis keeps on insulting Hyaline. "If you really think that is the case, you may have to reconsider what your steal looked like to us, with no prior warning, and apparently aiming way higher than you intended - but again, we could not know. Had you considered the prospect of spending a year away from home, from your children, had I not stolen you in return? Stealing is a diplomat's way of warfare, like a challenge is for those in the battle castes. If you think it is not, I'm telling you now that the rest of the world thinks otherwise, and that you may have to make a little more use of your imagination and empathy to try and understand someone else's reaction. I do agree that my queens were very quick and very angry; there's a reason they have a diplomat advisor. Take that away, apparently this is what you get." She snorts - she's not happy with Kag and Lace's quick reaction; at least not the tone of it. At heart though, she understands that Lepis basically broke the neutrality of the sanctuary where that was uncalled for, and if no strong image was displayed, that would have been a symbol of 'Hey y'all Hyaline is open for stealing without repercussions - free game zone!'. "But maybe this is good for us too. A sanctuary without protectors and strong borders can't promise safety to anyone, as you will know." she shrugs.

When Lepis refuses to move, Ilma still takes a few steps away, then looks back to talk, but only briefly. "So it seems. Well, if you're set on staying there, I suggest you make yourself comfortable in your current position. I'll find someone else to talk to and negotiate with, if you're not talking to me." She shakes her head to realign her mane, then walks back into Hyaline's kingdom - Lepis will follow, or stay on the border all day, and if the latter is the case, the white mare is not inclined to give in to such childish behaviour.

She is a slow mover - she is waiting for the obviously-soon-following 'retaliation' from Lepis. Ah, there it is already. Ilma stops to listen, but does not move back towards Lepis. It's indeed warmer where she's headed.

So Hyaline made the steal into a threat of war? Maybe - that's why if she had had the chance, she would have asked her queens to give it a day to talk it over, though after admitting once that she might not have agreed with her queens, she will not verbally do so again. And whatever the case; it had been a war-like act from Loess, and Hyaline had no other way to interpret it. And so she'd done the only thing she could to prevent actual war - steal Lepis back, let them feel what Hyaline had - it's uneasy, it feels slightly like betrayal even, perhaps. But it's better than the alternative, better than letting her queens actually declare war on Loess, which most certainly would mess up all existing alliances. But apparently, Lepis does not understand this. For one claiming to be a diplomat, she does very little to understand the view of the other party - ultimately that is where she failed to make a deal in the first place.

Lepis threatens to return to Loess, and Ilma repeats the 'casual' motion of her wings when the girl does. The Cleric even goes so far as to threaten with war, to which Ilma raises a brow. Obviously - not that Lepis seems to get it - keeping her here would give Hyaline the upper hand, a hostage to be traded back. So yeah, she's pretty sure she knows what keeping her entails - her molten orange gaze meets the other woman's bluish grey ones, with a look that is almost a sigh in itself. Tired of the repetitive motion of threatening, and that combined with small insults. It's nothing but threats, really.

Standing there staring at the woman until she not-finished her last sentence, Ilma's mind works over the possibilities - she'll have to be following Lepis around to keep her here if need be, that's for sure; but she's determined enough. And until 6 months have passed, nobody should be able to reclaim her. Plenty of time to get acquainted. "Perhaps I should. And perhaps I will; give me some time to think it over, but do not demand it from me right away or the answer is most certainly no. I think you and I already know what you want most, right about now, so stop playing games and come clean with me, or stay here and sulk. Run away even - but I'll find you. Do not think that we have no means of keeping you if we want to. I had just hoped you would stay somewhat willingly, because if you do, you'll have more freedom here than you could have otherwise." Clearly Lepis wanted to go home, while Ilma would have been stubborn enough not to take the offer and sit out her full sentence; something Lepis might not have considered. "And who knows, perhaps you'd have done the same for me and release me early. But inflicting a wound and then healing it still leaves the memory of pain, Lepis. Releasing a stolen horse is not a favour, if anything, it neutralizes the steal in the first place, and gets us back to ground zero, but then tensed. I suggest you try another tactic if you want something from us. At the moment, we're not quite sure if we're interested in any deals with you at all." Her winter coat bristles a bit at a sudden flare of wind, but it settles quickly enough not to have her shiver as she outwardly calmly, awaits a response. She'd rather just show the mare around and give her a place for the night, but no, Lepis was determined to negotiate (or, threaten really - there was no offer, so it was not a negotiation at all) until the deep of night.

Well then, so be it.

Okay, that's it. This girl is just acting crazy. Why she's a diplomat at all eludes her completely at this point.

"I know that you're irritated, and so am I. We're getting nowhere with this at the moment. The facts are that my steal was successful and yours wasn't, and that I have no intention to fight you. We're diplomats, not warriors. Whatever deal you wish to make to get out of your stay here, I will listen, but tomorrow. I have nothing to offer you but your freedom - but if you have nothing in return but threats, you'll just have to stay here until you think of a better deal. Those are the terms. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go some place warmer. You're still welcome to join me there, it's no use standing here in the open winds." She turns, leaving Lepis at the spot. If she really wishes to escape, Ilma will be sure to find her within the appointed timeline, which will force her to come back. But she's not going into Loess - not with Lepis, at any rate.